Life After You
by kriddle2
Summary: "Sequel" to my story "A Lesson in Seduction" follows the life of Zoey Jones; Maxie and Jason's daughter on a mission to discover her past.
1. Prologue

**Life After You:**

**Prologue: **

Once Upon a Time: The start of all good fairytales. The stories that involve a Princess and Prince, and some insurmountable but ultimately fixable circumstance standing in the way of their happily ever after. Unfortunately as all impressionable children in the world eventually learn that is not reality. The truth is…reality sucks.

By the ripe old age of seventeen; any illusions Zoey Jones had about love and perfect relationships were completely destroyed, which in theory was fine. Having grown up in a single parent household, her mother was the epitome of Superwoman. Their Manhattan penthouse was filled with love, laughter and enough support that the fact that her sperm donor was absent didn't affect her well rounded upbringing.

As Zoey's senior year at Manhattan Preparatory Academy wrapped and graduation approached reality began to set in. Packing and obsessing for her summer semester of college at NYU was all the distraction she needed to help her get over her recent break up with Andrew Wellington. Just another man…boy who made empty promises and ultimately disappointed her.

Watching her mother attempt to date throughout life was more than enough to stop Zoey from being disillusioned about romance in general, so after walking in on Andrew in the middle of "Desk Detailing" Madeline Gilroy it hadn't been the heartbreak she was expecting. In fact after the shock and initial wallowing session, she hadn't shed a tear about the situation since. Of course she lied to her mother and told her their different college plans was the reason they broke things off amicably being the pragmatic women she was. But in reality even though she had exchanged 'I love you's' with Andrew, Zoey had only loved with her head, not her heart. She was too smart to be that vulnerable.

While cleaning out and shredding the pictures and passed notes in her mother's office Zoey uncovered nine years' worth of birthday and Christmas cards from said sperm donor. Her mother had always told her that he was absent for their safety but the reality of the situation to Zoey was that he just wasn't interested in being her father. And that was fine. If he didn't want her, then she didn't need him, her mom was more than capable parenting alone; despite her ridiculously demanding fashion career. When she was younger she used to ask her mother questions about her father and the time before they moved into the city; but after a while she could tell that the stories and memories would make her mother sad, and that had only fueled her anger for her father.

Growing up her childhood was filled with fashion and art and music and a fast paced world of color that the fashion industry brought to their lives. Every summer that she could remember she had spent in Paris; her mother shopping the latest fashions and meeting with new designers; while Zoey learned to speak French and toured the Louvre, stole sips of French wine and made out with French boys. She had truly lived the life that most only dreamed of, so when she was given the choice to spend her final summer before she claimed adulthood in Paris or starting an accelerated program at New York University; she opted for the latter, with a slight detour. It wasn't that she didn't want to spend the summer with her mother but, the choice provided her with the perfect opportunity. She could sneak away and see her father without having to outright lie to her mother. Plus this summer had the awkward elephant in the room, her mother's new fiancée. Thomas Reynolds had become a recent addition to their lives for the last eleven months.

So with her mother and Thomas across the ocean, Zoey would be free and clear to live out her life as she planned. With a detour and deferment from her summer at college, and a surprise and spontaneous trip to the place of her birth was in the works.

Port Charles, New York…here comes Zoey Jones.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

**2011**:

"_Come on baby girl, just take a step." Jason said from his position on the floor, his legs spread enough that Zoey could stand between them. _

"_A watched pot never boils!" Maxie called from upstairs._

"_That applies to cooking, not that you know anything about that either!" Jason called back._

"_Uncalled for!" She responded laughing, knowing that there was truth in Jason's statement._

_Jason just laughed extending his hands to help Zoey stand. "I know you can do it, just take one little step." Jason smiled lifting her left arm making her left foot follow after. _

_After weeks of scooting around the furniture Jason knew it was only a matter of time until walking followed. _

"_I hope she gets to it soon, I'm beyond over these child gates." Maxie said making her way into the living room carrying a pair of heels in her hand. She had to stop and brace against the wall to make it to the ground with the gate in the way. "Yes, you need to grow up a bit so mommy can stop groaning every time she has to go up those stairs."_

_Maxie moved and put her feet against Jason's outstretched ones making a diamond that Zoey could scoot back and forth between. _

"_Okay girl, show daddy what you can do." Jason said turning Zoey around and directing her towards Maxie's waiting arms. _

**2028:**

The black town car was just passing the sign welcoming her to Port Charles. The last time she had driven through this two stop light town she was seven and she was there for her great Grandfather's funeral, a man that she didn't remember and hadn't met in her "memory capable" years. All in all this town wasn't something that she actively remembered, but it held a lot of secrets to the first three years of her life, and the events that led to her parent's divorce and her mother's move to the city.

After Grandpa Mac retired to Florida eight years prior there wasn't a reason for her to visit the small town. Her only remaining connections were her father and Grandma Quartermaine. Monica Quartermaine was a retired cardiothoracic surgeon from one of the local hospitals. She came from old money and didn't need the job but valued hard work. She currently held a seat on the board for

General Hospital but would take frequent trips into New York City to visit her granddaughter; stating that it was easier to spoil her in New York, making it easier to avoid her father and lingering memories for her mother.

Zoey's childhood was filled of bedtimes stories of Port Charles; as a general "how-to-not" live your younger years. Whether it was stories of Maxie's dating woe's or her trouble with Grandpa Mac, but her favorite stories were the one's about Aunt Georgie, whom she had never gotten to meet but whom Zoey's middle name stemmed from.

"_So after Georgie and Dillon survived the insane virus outbreak it wasn't long before your Grandpa Mac and evil Tracy wanted them to annul their marriage. But clearly that wasn't going to happen." Maxie explained to a ten year old Zoey. _

"_So what did they do?" Zoey asked as she laid back against the many pillows that littered her four-post canopy bed. _

"_They moved into their own apartment above the local diner." Maxie said matter of factly. _

"_Apartment above a diner?" Zoey asked confused._

"_Yep, above Kelly's diner there are about twelve different apartments on the floor above. And even though they hated it and they had a lot of difficulties up until the day your aunt Georgie went up to heaven she still loved Dillon with all her heart." _

Changing the address on town car had been the easy part, it wasn't the first time she had done that. Maxie had left for the airport earlier that morning and the car was scheduled to pick up Zoey that afternoon. Sitting patiently during the two hour car ride had been the hard part. The further she traveled the more her nerves continued to spiral out of control. She could only scroll through her Facebook page so many times before she had to just set the phone down out of irritation.

"So what's in Port Charles?" The driver asked after one of Zoey's many long sighs.

"My father and his side of the family." Zoey answered honestly. "I'm spending the summer with them for the first time in thirteen years."

"Are you nervous?" He whispered watching her eyes briefly meet his in the rearview mirror.

"Is it that obvious?" Zoey laughed looked down to her hands in her lap.

"Don't worry, family is family and they love you regardless of time and circumstances." He said trying to put the young girl as ease.

"Thanks," Zoey smiled her nerves calming considerably.

Walking into Kelly's almost felt like she was living inside of one of her mother's stories. The checkered curtains lining the windows, the assortment of tables and mismatched chairs, while the red old fashioned bar stools still lined the front counter. And older man with white hair sat behind the counter wiping down the probably already spotless countertop.

"Can I help you today little lady?" The older gentleman said standing as she entered.

"Well, I've heard that you have rooms for rent upstairs?" she smiled hoping that there was an open room, without that all her plans would fail and she'd have to call her mother.

"Well, yes that's true, what's your name sweetheart? "

"Zoey, Zoey Jones." She said hoping he didn't know the connection to her family, luckily Jones was a fairly common surname.

"Zoey? That's not a name you hear every day." The man said from behind the counter.

"Well I've had it all my life so I guess I'll take it." Zoey smiled trying to leave her mother's New York City attitude at home, it wasn't going to win her any favor with the locals. "So rooms for rent upstairs?" She said trying to get to the point.

"We do, but aren't you a bit young?" the elderly man asked. "I just mean, do your parents know where you are?"

"My mother does; she's away for the summer; but I have family in town, I don't know them very well which is why I'm looking for alternative housing—" The young girl supplied. "I can pay you up front for the whole summer if that would make you feel better about it?"

"No I trust you." Mike said handing her a leather key chain with the number 5 on it. "Rent's due at the beginning of each week, There's a community washroom at the end of the hall. I'm Mike, let me know if you have any questions or need anything."

"Thanks Mike." She said wheeling her bag towards the staircase near the back of the restaurant. Zoey lugged the bag quickly up the flight of stairs moving down the thin hallway until she reached room five. Upon opening the door she found the room sparsely decorated from her room back home. A queen sized bed took up most of the space, a simple dresser and small table with two chairs were the only other furniture in the room. It really didn't matter, she didn't plan to spend too much time in the room. The whole point of her being here was to secretly discover the life she could have had. Opening the suitcase Zoey quickly unpacked her clothes and sent her mother a quick text message before grabbing her bathroom toiletries and heading down the hall to investigate the shower situation.

Even though she had been gun-ho about the plan to come to Port Charles she didn't know exactly where to start. Figuring it couldn't hurt to do a little bit of recon around town Zoey jumped into the shower keeping her strawberry blonde hair dry and piled on top of her head.

Returning to her room Zoey quickly changed into a pair of jean shorts and one of her many halter tank tops. Much like her mother her makeup was perfectly applied, hair perfectly in place and wedge heels strapped to her feet no matter how impractical they might be considering she didn't know where she would end up. She quickly called her best friend Rylan the only person who knew where she really was and what she was doing this summer.

After the brief phone conversation Zoey tried to recall the stories her mother had told her throughout the years. Bridges she visited, Jakes bar, the riverfront casino, and the danger filled pier, last but not least Harborview Towers. Zoey's first home. It was time to take the first steps to discovering her past.

Apparently she wasn't going to have to try to hard; as Zoey descended the stairs at Kelly's she heard the voice she barely remembered, and then saw the face that she couldn't forget. Quickly lowering herself behind the railing so he couldn't see her, Zoey watched Jason sit at a table with a brown haired woman a few years young than her father. She couldn't place who she was but her father seemed very comfortable in her presence. Almost too comfortable when he saw his father lean across the table to brush a kiss against her cheek. She was thankful that quickly after that Jason departed from Kelly's making it easier for her to leave.

"Headed out already Zoey?" Mike asked seeing her standing on the staircase.

"Um, yeah. I'm meeting my grandmother for dinner in a little bit." She lied descending the rest of the stairs. The brown haired woman still sat at the table sipping her coffee. "Hey Mike whose that?"

"That's Elizabeth Webber, she's a nurse over at General Hospital." Mike explained. "Do you know her?"

"Uh no, she just looked familiar but no." Zoey said taking in the new information. "I'll see you later Mike."

Flashing her most convincing smile Zoey quickly left the dinner keeping her head down just in case she ran into anyone else. Using her phone she found the address for a local bar called the Floating Rib and used her GPS to walk the short distance there. One of the good things about living in the big city was that there were always ways to get whatever you wanted. There was an entire market based upon it, and that was how she acquired her very fake ID. Although for a fake this was one of the better ones. It fooled all the bars in Manhattan she assumed it could work in a small town like Port Charles.

Entering the bar she found the place to be rustic and very small town community feel. Not anything like the bars and clubs she would sneak into back home. There were a few tables scattered across the open floor plan a few pool tables, dart boards and then the bar. Finding the place mostly empty, Zoey approached the bar and produced her ID waiting for the bartender to arrive and take her order.

"Drinking on a Monday night?" A younger man said coming out from a backroom.

"Well, there's not much else to do in this town is there?" Zoey joked knowing now that she would have no problem getting a drink. The man couldn't have been older than thirty or thirty-five so all it would take would be a little flirting at most.

"That is true." He said placing a cocktail napkin down in front of her.

She quickly handed over her ID waiting for the questioning to begin. "Zoey Jones?"

"That's me."

"A Manhattan girl? What's a girl like you doing around here?"

"Stuck visiting family for a little bit." Zoey answered honestly, the best lies always contained a little bit of truth.

"Well welcome to the floating rib. I'm TJ what can I get for you?"

"I'll have a whiskey sour and a beer please." She answered back before standing and moving over to the juke box to look at the song selection. "So what is there to do here?"

"Honestly not much, once the college kids are back in town there are more parties and stuff like that. Are you a student at PCU?"

"No, I'm at NYU." Zoey answered moving back towards the bar to drink the whiskey sour he had just placed there. "So there's really nothing fun to do here?"

"Not really." TJ laughed walking back behind the bar to help another patron who had just walked in.

After the new patron had received his drink he swiftly moved over towards the pool table and began to rack the balls and begin his own game. Zoey watched passively for a while before stopping at the bar for a refill and making her way towards the attractive stranger.

"You feel like having an opponent?" Zoey asked setting her beer down on the side of the pool table.

"Sure—" He said smirking at the small blonde girl in front of him. "You can even break."

"Well that is just too kind of you." Zoey over exaggerated, taking another sip of her drink while the man racked the balls setting the cue ball on the table in front of her.

Zoey quickly lined up her shot and hit the balls sending both a stripe and solid into the far corner pockets. "Wow beginners luck." She laughed excitedly. She missed the next shot and went about finishing her beer before moving out of the way for the man to take his shot.

After he sunk and easy shot, and then missed the next. With the guy distracted by Zoey leaning far across the table to reach her next shot Zoey easily sunk in the next 4 balls only the black "8" ball remaining.

"8 ball left corner pocket." Zoey said bringing the man out of his thoughts. After sinking the shot Zoey stood with a satisfied smile watching the realization and shock wash over the guys face.

"Well damn, I think I need a shot."

"Sorry I hustled you back there." Zoey smiled taking a seat next to her opponent back at the bar.

"It's my own fault. Lot's a trouble in a little package." He said taking another sip of his drink. "I'm Spencer."

"Zoey." She said shaking his hand.

"So not to be presumptuous, but this place is closing down in a few minutes, would you like to continue the drinking elsewhere?"

"You expect me to leave this bar with you without even knowing your last name?"

"Spencer, Spencer Cassadine."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Zoey wasn't a slut, she also wasn't dumb. She knew the implications of going back to a man's apartment, but her mother always taught her to be observant of her surroundings. She had mostly meant when it came to matters of fashion but in this case it would work too. While playing pool Zoey couldn't help but notice the very large and expensive platinum watch on his wrist, his Hugo Boss button down shirt. His nails perfectly round as if he had them polished and buffed professionally. This man wasn't a threat to her, but he was drunk, Zoey was far from it. After sipping her two beers throughout the evening she had watched Spencer consume more than five in the time they had been talking, and he clearly hadn't been paying too much attention to her consumption. After making it across the street to Spencer's apartment Zoey declined a beer as they sat and watched television for a few minutes before Spencer made his move, lowering her down on the couch as they began making out. At the suggestion of moving things into the bedroom Zoey excused herself to the bathroom and by the time she returned she found Spencer passed out on his bed. Her plan had worked just as she wanted. After taking a few moments to contemplate whether or not to stay Zoey soon choose the later moving back towards the living room to locate her shoes. She needed those to walk home no matter how impractical they might have been. Suddenly a light turned on from the kitchen illuminating the dark area.

"If you're looking for your shoe it's behind the couch." A voice called.

"Uh, thanks." Zoey said quietly running her hand through her hair to calm what she could only imagine was a mess. "You the roommate?" She asked as she sat carefully on the couch to put on her wedge sandal.

"Yeah, I'm Cam—" he started moving into the living room to see her better.

"I don't need your name, I wont be back."

"You wanna leave Spence your number?"

"Yeah, that's where the; I won't be back part comes into play?" Zoey said tugging down at the hem of her shorts wishing they were a bit longer. She felt a little ridiculous in her shorts and tank top knowing she had to walk back to Kelly's. "Well this has been awkward, but I'm going to go."

"Yeah, it's not every day that I get to see my roommate's girls sneaking out of the apartment." Cam laughed moving to sit at an arm chair adjacent to the couch.

"Is that supposed to be sarcastic or a factual statement? But just from the record, I didn't sleep with Spencer." Zoey defended.

"Not judging if you did." Cam said raising his hands in in mock surrender. "It's just a pretty solid assumption given the time and you trying to sneak out of here."

"Well you're wrong." She stood tugging at the hem again. "This is going to sound ridiculous but do you have a sweater or shirt that I can have?"

"Regretting your clothing options?" Cam laughed, watching her squirm under his intense gaze. "You want me to give you my clothes? Knowing full well I won't be get them back?"

"That's pretty much what I'm asking."

"Follow me." Cam said leading her past Spencer's room towards the other door off the living room. Spencer's room was much different that Cam's, it was clutter free and clean, his clothes were actually hanging in the closet of shut up in the drawers.

"You're very clean." Zoey commented, sitting on the one unkempt thing, his bed.

"Well Spence isn't really used to having to clean up after himself?"

"So you're his maid—" Zoey smiled standing moving to look around his room stopping at the pictures on his dresser. Zoey stopped in her tracks when she came across a picture of himself with the woman from the dinner and another man. It was clearly from a graduation of some kind—that could only mean that. "Please tell me you're not Cameron Spencer."

"Uh, yeah, I am. Do I get to know your name? I think I'd remember if we'd met before."

"Nope, We've never met, I'm not here I never was, please don't tell your mother." Zoey said grabbing the hooded sweatshirt from Cam's outstretched hand and quickly moving out of his room, She waited until she was safely outside of the apartment complex before pulling the sweatshirt over her head and briskly walking back towards Kelly's.

She didn't remember much of Cameron from her early memories of Port Charles. When flipping through the old photo albums from birthday parties Zoey was always playing with Jake and Aiden, Emma when it was just the immediate family. Cameron was a few years older and didn't want to play dumb "baby games" with his younger siblings, unless forced to by an adult. She barely recognized him and probably never would have put the pieces together if it hadn't been for the photo, and the almost run in with Elizabeth this morning. Her first day in Port Charles was slowly connecting dots to the past she once had a connection too. But now it was time to sleep. Everyone would still be there tomorrow.

**2012:**

_Maxie stood in the kitchen finishing the icing in the mixing bowl keeping an eye on the counter waiting for the over to be done. She was using Georgie's recipe for chocolate chip cupcakes with vanilla frosting. Jason had taken care of the main food grilling steak and chicken out on the balcony. Zoey was currently with Mac and Felicia so they could get the house ready for the arrival of the guests. _

_Jason walked up behind her slipping his arms around her waist pressing a kiss into the exposed skin where her shoulder and neck met. _

"_You all done with the food?" Maxie asked leaning back into his embrace. _

"_Yeah, everything is all set up after you finish the cupcakes. We've got a little bit of time to kill." He laughed continuing to kiss her trying to turn her body to progress things to the next level._

"_No, do you know how many times we have burned food because we "killed" time?" _

"_But we have all this extra icing?" Jason smiled dipping his finger into the mix bringing his covered digit up to Maxie's lips. She slowly took his finger into her mouth licking the sweet confection off. _

"_I put some aside in the refrigerator earlier. Maybe if play nice today I'll let you have it later." She smiled easily moving out of his arms as the oven timer beeped. _

Going to bed as the sun comes up didn't bode well for being awake for much of the day. Zoey finally pulled herself out of bed around noon, finding her way to the washroom to shower for the day. She didn't know where she would head today but if she was going to find out more about her dad she could probably head to the local library to check out the old newspaper archives. See where her dad's name came up and what she could learn about 2015. The year her mother moved them into the city.

Leaving the bathroom Zoey put some product in her shoulder length blonde hair, between the summer humidity and the heat in her small room the last thing Zoey wanted to do was blow dry and straighten her hair. Finally after applying a thin layer of BB cream, she deemed herself ready for the day, Zoey grabbed her purse and headed down the stairs to get something to eat from the diner before heading to the public library.

She didn't give any thought to her environment as she headed down the stairs. Didn't stop to think of who could be eating at the diner. Didn't even occur that she might—

"Zoey?" A voice called to her as she reached the bottom step.

Crap.


	4. Chapter 3

**2012:**

"_Crowds of eager Dallas residents stand on the curb in front of the Texas School Book Depository. The president won't pass by for three hours, but they've come early to get a good spot." Jason read looking down at the wide eyes of his baby girl. He had been reading to her for the past ten minutes without any sign of drooping eyelids. _

"_Best of all, it looks like the sun might come out. Maybe they'll get a glimpse of John F. Kennedy and Jackie after all. Lee Harvey Oswald peers out a first-floor window of the depository building, assessing the president's route by where the crowds stand. He can clearly see the corner of Elm and Huston, where John Kennedys limousine will make a slow left turn—"_

"_What are you reading my daughter?" Maxie said walking into the nursery where Jason and fourteen month old Zoey were sitting in the glider in the overtly pink nursery. Coincidentally it was the same room that was previously the regrettably pink room as Spinelli had called it when he had lived there._

"_Why is she always your daughter whenever you don't like what I'm doing?" Jason smiled closing the book. "It's not like she actually understands and comprehends the words I'm saying." Jason responded looking up from the book to Maxie and then back down to Zoey whose eyes were moving around the room from Jason to Maxie. _

"_But really Presidential assassinations? You couldn't have picked a brighter topic?" _

"_It's American history." Jason said, "That was on the allowed list."_

"_But I said—"_

"_It's not a war." Jason said holding to the stipulation. _

"_You're daddy's crazy Zoey." Maxie laughed kissing the top of both of their heads before leaving the room._

"_Ignore her Zo—"_

_**Present:**_

"Zoey?" The voice called to her causing her to look into the diner and meet eyes with the man she wasn't quite ready to see.

"Hey, dad." Zoey sighed slowly moving from the stairs further into the diner towards where her father was sitting with a well-dressed man in a suit.

"What are you doing in Port Charles?" He asked taking in her form, that she was really standing there in front of him.

"Oh ya know, just getting some food." After that answer didn't suffice, "My room is right upstairs so this seemed like the most convenient place."

"Upstairs? You're staying in Port Charles." Jason asked confused. "Zoey what on earth is going on? Is your mother here? Are you in town visiting Monica?"

"You know what, don't worry about it. I am not your problem. So just forget you saw me." She said moving to the counter to order food to go. She knew that Jason wasn't going to let this go. This was not the way things were supposed to go. She wasn't supposed to see him. Especially not this soon.

"Zoey, how was your first night?" Mike asked smiling at the young girl.

"It was great Mike thanks for asking. Now I know its lunch time but would I still be able to get French toast?" She asked turning on the charm.

"Absolutely." Mike winked, turning to Jason who had approached to see if he needed any coffee before disappearing again into the kitchen.

"What?" Zoey asked turning to Jason who was just staring at her waiting for an explanation. "I got in yesterday. Mom told me about Kelly from when Aunt Georgie lived here with Dillon." Zoey explained, "I haven't talked to Monica since graduation. Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Does your mother know you're here?" Jason asked turning to face her fully.

"Leave my mother out of this." Zoey said with just as much bite as her mother would have. "Look, I'm here. You saw me, just pretend you didn't." Mike came back out with the French toast giving Zoey and skeptical look at her interaction with Jason. "It's fine Mike."

Which a cautious nod Mike walked away leaving the father and daughter to their awkward silent interaction.

"Mystery girl!" a voice called from the entrance of the diner. "What was that about you were never going to see me again?"

Zoey turned thankful for the distraction from Jason to turn and see Cameron from the night before walking into the diner with a few other college age men. "Wishful thinking?" she joked.

"Hey Jason." Cameron said shaking Jason's hand.

"Cameron." Jason said shaking the younger man's hand.

"I'm guessing you want your sweater back?" Zoey asked taking another bite of French toast.

"That would be nice. I don't really make it a habit of giving it out my clothes to random girls."

"Well when I finish my breakfast I'd be happy to retrieve it for you."

"Sounds good to me." Cameron laughed moving back to the table his friends sat at near the corner.

"You hung out with Cameron last night?" Jason asked once the younger man was out of ear shot.

"That is also none of your business."

"I am your father."

"Since when?" Zoey nearly shouted letting her fork fall to the plate with a loud clatter. Mike turned back towards them to make sure everything was okay, and just in time to see Jason reach out and grab Zoey's arm as she tried to pass him."

"Jason—" Mike called out causing Jason to look down at the grip around his daughters arm, slowly releasing her. Zoey wasted no time putting distance between the two of them racing up the stairs. The eyes of all the diner's following her retreat before going back to their own meals and conversations. Everyone except Jason and Cameron.

Cameron had been watching the interaction between the mystery girl and Jason since walking away. Spencer had woken up in the morning wondering where the "bargirl" had gone, his drunken brain not remembering the finer details of the night before. He hadn't expected to see her again, least of all in Kelly's with Jason Morgan of all people. His mother was friends with the former mob enforcer, but his father had always made his feelings about that perfectly clear. Jason Morgan was no good, and somehow the mystery girl from last night knew him.

Cameron watched as Jason threw down money for his coffee and for the girl's food before pulling his phone from his pocket and leaving the diner. Keeping his eyes on the stairs while still trying to talk with his friends, he wasn't surprised to see her peak down ten minutes later checking to see if Jason was still there.

"He left." Cameron called out, excusing himself from his table of friends towards the stairs.

Moving down a few steps she checked to see if he was really gone before continuing down the staircase carrying Cameron's grey sweatshirt in hand.

"Thanks again." She whispered barely making eye contact.

"So how do you know Jason?" Cameron asked getting right to the question.

"I'd rather not say." Zoey said moving back towards the counter to pay for her food.

"It's already taken care of Zoey." Mike called stopping her before she laid the money out.

"Zoey—"

She turned around just in time to see the recognition wash over his face.

"Please not here." Zoey pleaded, grabbing his hand and pulling him up the stairs towards her room. Moving quickly up the stairs Zoey opened her door shoving Cameron into the small room before closing the door up behind them.

"Zoey Morgan."

"Jones. My name is Zoey Jones." She corrected moving to sit on the bed rolling onto her side to hide her face behind a curtain of blonde hair. This was getting out of hand fast and she'd only been in town less that twenty-four hours.

"What are you doing here? What was that with Jason downstairs? Is your mother here too?"

"Slow down—"

"Is that why you freaked out last night. You saw the picture of my parents and freaked."

"You have to promise not to say anything to your Mom." Zoey almost yelled. "Please promise me that!"

"What is going on? Last I saw you your mother moved you guys into the city and you never came back."

"That about sums it up. I live in Manhattan with my mom—this morning was the first time I've seen Jason since we left Port Charles when I was three."

"So—what are you doing here?"

That really was the million dollar question. It had started as a quest to see her father and rub in his face how well she had done without him, but she knew that wasn't the only thing she hoped to find. If it were just that she would have told him off this morning.

"I need some answers. Will you help me?"

Jason sat down on the leather couch, his phone in hand thumb posed over the green call button.

She answered on the second ring. "Are you okay?" There was an extended pause. "Jason?"

"Our daughter is in Port Charles."

"She's what?" This time it was Maxie's turn to pause. "Just tell me she's okay?" Maxie asked putting the phone up to her ear.

"She's fine." Jason answered. "She's living at Kelly's."

""Living?" Jason she just left Manhattan last night. I doubt she's living—"

"She has a room above Kelly's." Jason confirmed.

"I used to tell her stories about Georige." Maxie supplied sighing deeply. "Do I—Do you need me to come and get her?"

Jason pondered that thought, of seeing Maxie up close in person, weighed with the decision of spending time with his daughter. "No, I'll handle it. I'll talk to Monica I'm sure she could stay with the Quartermaine's. I'm sure we'd both feel better not having her above the diner."

"She was supposed to go to NYU?" Maxie breathed out running her fingers across her forehead trying to ease out the tension that was suddenly there. Jase—"

"She'll be fine. I'll tell her to call you." Jason said quickly cutting off whatever was going to be next out of Maxie's mouth. They very rarely talked anymore, but Jason could remember the early stages of their relationship where it was all about talking—back in the boxcar. "I—"

"I've gotta go Jason," Maxie replied quickly before hanging up.

Jason stared down at the phone in his hand, readying his head to pick up the phone again and calling Monica to inform her of her new house guest.

"Hey Monica—"


	5. Chapter 4

_Sorry for the delay, life happens. Thanks for sticking it out with me. I really like Zoey I know most of you are ready to get to the Jason and Maxie part and I promise it's coming. I don't plan to drag out the backstory too much longer. Just needed to set the scene a bit. Review if you feel inclined!_

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**Chapter 4:**

Zoey Morgan. She was only three when her mother moved them back to the city. Just a little over a year after Jake had died. Before then Zoey had been a regular fixture at the Spencer household. Despite the adult tension between Zoey's mother and his own, the kids loved to play together, and being the oldest Cameron knew they did it for their benefit. Jason usually being the one to bring Zoey over and stay and drink coffee with his mom, while the kids played. As a seven year old Cameron didn't fully understand the parentage situation. Just that Jason was Jakes dad, making him Zoey's half-brother but in no way related to Cam. Not something that should be explained to someone so young. But after the incident Maxie had quickly moved Zoey away, and had only returned a handful of times since.

Back then he thought of her as a surrogate little sister but over the last fourteen years she had grown up into a girl he didn't even recognize. Now she was the girl living at Kelly's—well about to move out of Kelly's.

"You lived here for three days, how on earth did you acquire so much stuff?" Cameron complained as he carried her overstuffed suitcase down the stairs of Kelly's.

"You have met my mother right? Do you really need to ask that question?" Zoey laughed waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "What? You did say you would help me? It's your own fault you didn't ask how much stuff I had."

"I'm pretty sure this isn't what you had in mind." Cameron said finally reaching the bottom of the staircase. "You're lucky you're moving into the Quartermaine's at least they'll have room for all your stuff."

"Just give me a minute to turn in my key and I'll be ready to go." Zoey smiled walking across to the counter where Mike was helping a guest.

"Leaving me so soon?" Mike smiled moving over to take the key. "You know. You're mom and dad used to bring you in here all the time. You used to run around the dinner like you owned the place. And they both looked at you like you were the most precious thing in the world."

"It's been a really long time." Zoey smiled wishing she could remember the times back then, back when her family was a family—before. "Thanks for looking out for me, I'm sure I'll see you around."

Jason found himself sitting in the Quartermaine family room. The furniture still as uncomfortable as ever. The mantle covered in pictures of family. Emily, Alan, Edward, Lila, and AJ. Family members who were no longer living. A picture of Jason stood at one end. It was from years prior, before the accident when he and AJ were still on good terms.

Monica had happily accepted the new house guest. The family manor had been nearly empty over the last few years. Yes Tracy still lived there but over the years everyone and their families had moved out and on. ELQ was now run under the direction of Michael Corinthois III, the next generation of Quartermaine's and Quartermaine cousin's making their mark on the business world.

"I just had Madison clean and dust out a room in the east wing." Monica smiled walking back into the den.

"Thanks, I'm sure Zoey will be happy with wherever you put her." Jason smiled hugging his mother.

"I know but she hasn't been here in years, I just want to make sure she's comfortable."

"Just as long as you don't talk about—"

Monica held up a hand stopping her son from continuing. "Son I have no desire to relive or even think about that."

"Okay, I should go, Zoey wasn't exactly happy to see me yesterday." Jason smiled sadly walking towards the entry way. He was just about to open the door as the doorbell rang throughout the large space.

"That must be them." Monica smiled pulling open the door smiling as her beloved granddaughter stood before her. "Zoey!" She smiled pulling the girl into her arms. "Oh I'm so glad you're here sweet girl."

"I missed you too Gran. You know Cameron Spencer right?" Zoey said releasing the hug and moving inside so that Cameron could move in with her bags.

"I'm going to go," Jason explained standing awkwardly among the reunion.

"You aren't going to stay for dinner?" Monica pleaded wanting to eat around the table with her family. "Please cook has already prepared the meal. You have to stay too Cameron."

"Gran a big meal, that's really not necessary."

"Nonsense, it's not everyday that I have my granddaughter and son home for a meal."

And with that the master of manipulation Monica Quartermaine had arranged their dinner. With the help of Jason and Cameron the two of them lugged Zoey's suitcases up the stairs towards her bedroom. Jason excused himself so that Zoey could begin to unpack.

"I'm sorry that you got roped into staying for dinner."

"I don't really have anywhere else to be right now." Cameron answered unzipping the larger of Zoey's suitcases. "Anyways I figured you might like a distraction from Monica. She seems pretty hell-bent on making you and Jason spend some quality time together."

"Can't blame the lady for trying." Zoey said grabbing a handful of clothes from her suitcase and tossing them into the open drawer. "But maybe we can use this to our advantage, get some information about—"

"If you're mother wasn't going to tell you do you really expect Monica to just—"

"Probably not, but we'll just have to see what we can do."

Cameron laid down on the four poster bed letting Zoey move around the room placing her clothes in drawers and toiletries in the adjoining bathroom.

"Do you think your mother knows anything?" Zoey asked laying down on the bed next to Cameron.

"You know our mother's were never really friends right?" Cameron laughed rolling onto his side to face Zoey.

"Yes I'm aware. Doesn't mean she doesn't know something. My dad and your mom—that's how we got Jake, just imagine how awkward family reunions would have been if they all stayed together." Zoey laughed rolling towards Cameron just as the door to the elaborate bedroom opened.

"Dinner is ready—" Madison the maid called walking into the room and quickly turning around sensing she had walked in on something. The duo burst into a fit of laughter as soon as the door closed again.

"So, your mom didn't know you were coming to town?" Jason asked, taking a bite of food.

"Uh no, I was supposed to do a summer semester at NYU." Zoey explained; twirling the spaghetti around her fork.

"You're only seventeen." Jason said stating the obvious.

"Yeah, I have fourteen years' worth of birthday cards proving that you know that much." She said taking a large sip of water. "So, is this how it's gonna be? You'll just sit and awkwardly stare at me like I'm some zoo attraction?"

"Zoey—" Monica tried to interject.

"No, let me get this out. Mom's always acted like you were some kind of hero for leaving us, or for staying away—but that's bull. We were an inconvenience to you, so you left. Do you know how many daddy daughter dances or camp outs I had to skip because I was a bastard?"

"Zoey!" Cameron tried this time knowing this wasn't going anywhere good.

"No, you didn't want me—"

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I had to see you for myself, and you needed to see that I made it without your help. I graduated early, got accepted to college, all without your help." Zoey ranted. "You had a chance to be a part of my life and you missed it! You didn't teach me how to drive a car, you didn't get to see me walk across the stage at graduation—"

"I was there." Jason said back quietly. Hoping to calm his fired up daughter. "Monica told me about it after your mother invited her. I stood in the back, I watched you walk across the stage and then I left."

"Did mom know?" Zoey asked shocked at his response.

"No, or at least I thought she didn't, but she emailed me later that day asking if I was there—I don't know how she does it—"

"Yeah, she's like a hound dog that way, its why I could never get away with anything as a kid."

"Until now?" Jason asked sensing that the anger in the room has passed.

"She was a little preoccupied before she left." Zoey said alluding to her mother's pending engagement to Charles, not sure if she should share that information with her father. Feeling the awkwardness reenter the space Zoey immediately went into fight or flight mode. "You know Gran, Cam and I were going to go and meet up with Spencer and a few people at the coffee shop near PCU so we really have to go."

"Zoey—" Monica said trying to stop her granddaughter from fleeing, but her calls fell on deaf ears. Zoey was already out the door leaving Cameron to awkwardly stand and move towards the foyer.

Zoey quickly walked towards the front door moving as quickly as her legs would carry her, Cameron not far behind.

"Zoey—"

"I'm sorry Cam, but I just cant be here right now." Zoey smiled sadly only stopping long enough to grab his hand and pull him towards the front door.

Jason and Monica both sat at the table staring at each other without words neither trying to move from their seats at the large table. Jason's first instinct was to run after his daughter. She was finally back in his life even though she was beyond angry at him but she was there. But he knew that would have never worked. Zoey was right, he didn't have the first clue about her, her life about anything.

"Jason, she's just angry with you. You of all people have to understand being angry with your parents." Monica smiled sadly at her son remembering his defiant anger when he woke from his coma.

"She's just like her mother—"

"If she knew—" Monica started being waved off by Jason. "Jason she had a right to know, to know why. To know—"

"No, Maxie and I decided it was best the way that it was."

"No—you decided Jason."

"There's no going back."

"So where are we going?" Cameron asked once they were driving back towards the downtown area. Zoey had gotten into Cameron's car and immediately went silent. "We could go to my place and watch some TV or head to Kelly's and get some food."

"Do you have liquor at your place?" Zoey asked looking intently over at her driver and lone friend in this city.

"Zoey my dad is a cop, do you really think I'm going to contribute to a minor drinking?"

"Fine. Then let's go to the Floating Rib, I'll contribute myself."


End file.
